China said on Thursday that it would handle the spy case related to Rio Tinto employees "according to the law".

Four employees of the Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto Ltd. have been arrested over alleged stealing of China's state secrets, including Stern Hu, general manager of the company's Shanghai office.

"Hu is suspected of stealing China's state secret. The four people including Hu had been detained by China's security authorities Sunday evening," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang at a press conference Thursday.

(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2009)